Chase the Shadow [Maxine Avril]

[Darth Imperia]

Darth Imperia was on the hunt. She’d been on a similar hunt once, during her time as Darth Vitium’s Apprentice. It was during that little expedition that she encountered Salacious Vexx, a Zabrak with an attitude problem and more ego than skill. She’d crushed her quarry then, taken his arm and his pride. Hopefully, this expedition would have a happier ending. Well, ‘happy.’ An ending that was beneficial to the newly Knighted Sith, at least.

She was looking for an Apprentice. It was, perhaps, a sign of her arrogance that she was doing so, so soon after shedding the title herself – but the Dark Side had called her to Coronet City, and she, a servant of the Darkness, had no choice but to heed that call. She prowled the streets of Corellia’s capital with eyes closed – partly because she trusted the Force to guide her to her destination, but also partly because it caused less distress in the throngs that surrounded her. “Yeah, there was this girl. Real pale, wore a hood. Kept her eyes closed. She was a strange one,” was a description that Imperia could live with. She’d be talked about for a day or so, then forgotten. But if they saw her eyes? Then the description changed. “Oh, she was horrible. Skin like a corpse, eyes the color of sulfur. Had the air of a killer about her.” And while none of that was untrue, it was all highly inconvenient. Even if no one knew what they were looking at when they saw her, someone would tell a Jedi, and there’d be an investigation…It simply wasn’t worth the trouble.

The Dark Side led Imperia to a bar – because of course it did. By the Force, she hated bars. The smell of cheap alcohol, unwashed men and unscrupulous women. With her luck, her prospective Apprentice would turn out to be a prostitute, using Mind Trick to scam johns into giving her just a few more Credits. But…no. There she was. Sitting at the bar. Dark haired, pale skinned, looking nervous as feth. With a cold smile, the Knight whispered a few words, carried to the woman’s ears by the Force.

“Leave your belongings and follow me.”

--

[member='Maxine Avril']

 

[Darth Morrow]

Maxine's dark brown eyes quickly dug through the area as these words made way to her. "Leave your belongings and follow me." Said directly to her, though, who would speak with her? She knew no one, kept to herself, and was it was quite clear she wished to be left alone. Rapidly her eyes prowled through the crowd, seeking the other before her eyes fell upon the woman. Her pale skin and dark drawn hood sent chills through Maxine's spine. No. . .Not me. Please not me. Is all she could think as she made note of how the woman looked directly to her. Skittishly she peered around again, seeing the large amount of people around her and she sunk even further into her corner. Can't move, can't breathe. Too many people. . . The girl moved as close to the corner as she could get, hoping to be lost from the figure that sought her.

The main thoughts so prevalent in this young woman's mind were one, why is this person seeking specifically me, and two, how did she send the message. Rubbing her arm, she still glanced around nervously, it was like the walls and people were almost closing in on her now that someone paid direct attention to her. The once pale freckled face of Maxine had turned flushed.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Imperia's smile grew as she watched her Apprentice-to-be panic. Such innocence, such youth - yes, it was going to be fun to break this one.

Slowly, deliberately, the robed woman approached her quarry, and allowed her aura in the Force to manifest itself fully. She was an ocean - cold and dark and oddly placid, at least on the surface. Beneath that, however, were swirling currents of passion - rage and hatred, lust and hunger and an alien, primal need, all of which threatened to break the surface and turn that calm sea into a raging storm.

And even the people around her - the countless masses who could no more touch the Force than Imperia could sprout wings and fly - seemed to sense the utter wrongness that poured off of her. That suited the woman just fine, however - even if it did bring Jedi to Corellia, it at least gave the rest of those nearby an excuse to leave the duo alone, not to mention the impression it made on her future Apprentice. Imperia, no matter what name she went by, always did enjoy showing off.

"You, girl," Began Imperia, standing directly before her quarry. Her face was shrouded in her cloak, so that only the harsh yellow of her eyes was visible, "are not very good at following instructions. I will need to correct that."

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

Maxine's face remained flushed and her breathing grew slightly heavy. Pressed heavily into her corner the true terror was visible in her. Who- no what, was this creature. There was no way it was anything close to a normal being.

"I-I don't have a-any money, or anything to give you. . .I-If that's what you wanted. . ." Her voice was quiet, rushed, they seemed to choke her as she could barely spit them out.

The woman's hands anxiously gripped her pant leg, her fingers running over the fabric as she tried to calm herself, which obviously wasn't working. Her brown eyes tried to stare away from the robed being though they kept being dragged to the harsh yellow circles on the others face. She wanted nothing but to run away though for now, she was trapped in the corner, every once in awhile peering at the figures terrifying eyes.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

"I have no need of your money." Hissed Imperia, her tone, well, imperious. "Nor do I desire to take your possessions." The second sentence was, technically, untrue. She planned on taking everything from the girl - but that wasn't information that was yet necessary to share. "In fact, I am here to offer you something - I offer you opportunity. The opportunity to grow in power, in knowledge, and in wisdom."

And now, for a demonstration. Maxine, untrained as she was, might not have noticed the shift in the Force, the little rush of emotion, that accompanied her future mentor's next display. But she'd certainly notice what came of that display. Imperia's lightsaber lifted itself from her belt, hovering before Maxine's eyes. And then? It disassembled itself, revealing the complex system of electronics nested within the simple chrome-and-black, slightly curved cylinder. And at the center of it all was a crystal, jagged and red as blood and gleaming with light. Then, just as quickly, the saber reassembled, every intricate piece snapping back into place as Imperia plucked it from the air. When next the woman spoke, her voice was soft, her tone firm.

"I am Darth Imperia. I am a Knight of the Sith. And I seek an Apprentice."

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

"I- ... You... You can't be serious." The woman shifted her right hand to against her chest, hovering minimally above her heart. "This is a sick joke... No one would want me as an apprentice for anything..." Her mood seems to have greatly changed, going from fear to disbelief and hurt.

Maxine still attempted to keep looking away, though the same remained as before, occasional glances to the yellow eyes. In her mind she thought over the idea of greater power, knowledge, and a wisdom, all ideas she enjoyed, it didn't seem right. The means to get them to her seemed wrong. Wrong to gain all through fear, through hurting others, but it was largely tempting, that she had to admit.

She looked over the figure again. "H-How would you help me gain those things..." Her words now cautious, curious, though she was still quiet, very quiet.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

"Become my Apprentice, child," began Imperia, lowering her hood so that Maxine could see her features, ghastly and corpselike as they were, "And I will teach you to fight with a lightsaber. I will instruct you in the ways of the Force - not simply those things which any Dark Sider can accomplish, but also the true secrets of the Sith. You will learn the sorcery of the ancient - those things which drive lesser souls to madness. I will instruct you in the history and way of this dark Order. But most importantly," Imperia paused, and reached out with her right hand, black and metallic, then placed it on Maxine's shoulder. "I will transform you into a Sith - driven, ambitious, disciplined. The path will be a painful one, full of sorrow and suffering, for that is the way of the Sith - unlike the Jedi, we thrive on our pain. It makes us stronger."

And then, the pallid, grey-skinned woman removed her hand, lifting her hood back up. "Or, you can remain here. Remain comfortable, and remain ignorant. The choice is yours - but know this. The Dark Side brought me to you, child. And it brought me to you for a reason."

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

She pulled back slightly as she saw her features, though continued to process her thought for a moment before she let out an almost silent response. "Alright... I accept your offer..." Hesitantly Maxine pulled herself away from the corner, taking a sharp breath and trying to deal with this so called "social interaction".

"I... am uncomfortable, being here anyways... I have nothing to lose." Slowly she moved her hand through her hair, stopping at the bottom for just a moment before letting go. She seemed unsure of her decision, but nothing was said against it after. "My name is Maxine Avril..."

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

"No, it isn't," corrected Imperia, her tone gentle, yet firm. "Maxine Avril ceased to be when you agreed to become my Apprentice. Maxine Avril is dead. In her place is a Sith - or at least, the beginnings of one. Now, follow me, apprentice. I have much to teach you." With that, the Sith Knight turned, raised her hood once more, and made her way into the streets of Coronet City once more.

"Your training will begin as soon as we leave Corellia," began Imperia once more, her voice quiet and hushed so that the countless masses might not understand her words as the pair traveled the streets. "Your first lesson will be in the skill commonly known as Force Sense - you used a version of it, no doubt, when I allowed my full presence to manifest. Force Sense, when properly honed, will allow you to see without seeing, hear things no other sentient could hear. It is the most basic of the arts I will teach you, but it is also one of the most useful."

The Sith Knight stopped as the pair reached her ship - an ancient, black-coated YT-2400 light freighter - and turned to face her diminutive Apprentice, staring down at her with harsh yellow eyes surrounded by blackened veins. "You have one last chance to turn back, girl. Step onto this ship, and your old life is lost to you forever." It was only fair to offer the girl a chance to turn away, after all - Vitium had offered Imperia the same, even if she, herself, had never even considered it an option.

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Maxine paused, thinking over this event. Would she really miss her old life if she took this opportunity, a chance for her to be no longer fearful of others, there was really nothing for her to lose. Taking a deep breath, her eyes rested on the figure before her and she slightly nodded, reassuring herself more than anything. “I will not turn back.” The response being calmer than before. Her words eased and relaxed, around only one other made it easier for her to put her paranoia to rest for the moment. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14.6667px]“I am your apprentice, I have nothing to lose, only things to gain.” She took another deep breath, looking over the ship. Maxine knew very well that after stepping on the ship anything could happen, her eyes were filled with d[/SIZE]etermination, yet also hints of fear. Anything could happen.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Darth Imperia smiled down at her apprentice - and it was a genuine smile, at least in part. There was a tinge of cruelty to her features, of course, but that was ever present - the genuine warmth that radiated from her smile, however, was quite the opposite; it looked unnatural and out of place, quite simply because it was. "You, apprentice," began the young, grey-skinned woman, "have made a wise choice today - but you are still incorrect. You have so much to lose, little Acolyte. And I will take all of it from you." Morality, dignity, pride - these were the first things to be stripped away. Not that she'd tell the girl that, of course. Such things worked best when they came as a surprise, so that they were as emotionally scarring as possible.

The Sith Knight turned, and made her way aboard the Jen'Midwan, still speaking to Maxine as she moved. "First, we shall make our way to Korriban, birthplace of the original Sith." Imperia grinned once more, this time to herself. She had such fond memories of her time on Korriban. "Once there, we shall wander the deserts and tombs of that barren planet, and I shall inform you of its history."

---
[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

The girl didn't have much in the ways of dignity or pride for that matter, though she did have her morality, that would be the hardest to take from her. She spent years thinking she was nothing compared to the rest of humanity anyways, though this was likely to be different. After Darth Imperia made her way into the ship, Maxine followed behind glancing over the interior with a look full of interest, it was really the first time she traveled at all, let alone on a ship.

"Alright..." Her words were unsure, but it was quite prevalent in her mind that there was no other options. In her quiet voice, she spoke a question that might have had an obvious answer to others. "Did you do the same? When you were first learning..." It sounded as if she were trying hard to make a conversation, which she was quite bad at the be truthful. Though considering the woman was her new instructor, she had to at least try.

Looking over Darth Imperia, thoughts flew through Maxine's mind. The first being what she was supposed to call her. The second being how mentally sound she seemed, which was quite little in her eyes.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

"I did something similar - my first assignment with my former Mistress, Darth Vitium, was being dropped into an active war-zone. I lost my arm there - and much more. I suffered, and through that suffering, I grew stronger." As if to emphasize her point, Imperia raised her left hand, displaying the crimson lightning that danced across her fingertips. "You will suffer as well, and you, too, will grow stronger. Or, perhaps, you will perish. I'll not leave you to fend solely for yourself, don't worry. But," The grey skinned woman paused, mostly for dramatic effect. "I will not save you if you endanger yourself through stupidity, or if you prove too weak to withstand the rigors of apprenticeship. Is that understood? Good." At the pilot's seat, the Sith Knight brought her ship to life, navigating it carefully out of the crowded spaceport and into the open, clear void. Her actions were careful, cautious - she'd only just learned how to actually pilot a ship, and so she was still nervous, whether she'd like to admit it or not.

Once properly in space, clear of any obstacles, Imperia punched in a set of hyperspace coordinates and activated the ship's hyperdrive, finally allowing herself to relax.

The ship itself wasn't worth half the interest Maxine showed - at least, not at first glance. Should the girl take the time to actually look around and explore, she'd find a few things of interest. First, there was Imperia's room - the captain's quarters. The door was predictably locked, and the room itself gave off a sense of utter wrongness quite similar to Imperia's own aura. Beyond that, the cargo bay looked to have been transformed into some sort of droid assembly station, and two of the cabins had been significantly altered - one into a basic med-bay, painted a sterile white and stocked with medical equipment. And the other?

That was Imperia's torture chamber. Little more need be said on the subject.

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

The woman wandered the ship, the words "you will suffer as well" playing thought her mind on repeat. She visited each room, or at least looked at the doorway in the case of the captains quarters, and made a complete stop in the torture chambers. Quietly, if not silently Maxine mumbled to herself, "This was a huge mistake... I should have just stayed...". Beginning to explore the room, she examined tools, and the other parts of the torture chamber. Her empty gaze falling on the center of the room. "Why did I say yes..." Was the last thing she said, only to herself that is, before she stepped out of the room.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

The Hyperspace journey was a long and dull one, and so Darth Imperia, formerly Mala Arar, used that time to get to know her new Apprentice - to learn her strengths and weaknesses, plumb the depths of the girl's personality.

What Imperia found was lacking. It was true, there were...hints of potential here and there - curiosity, a willingness to hurt others, a tiny spark of ambition. But there wasn't nearly enough to justify her becoming a Sith. It was disappointing on some level - Mala had genuinely hoped that she might have an Apprentice in this girl. But she shouldn't have been surprised, really - the Dark Side spoke to her, but she was still young, still relatively inexperienced, and she couldn't hope to yet fully understand what its plans for her were. It was obvious to Imperia, now, that Maxine was not fit to be a Sith.

Still, that didn't mean the poor girl had to die. Or that Imperia couldn't take her under her wing - she'd be a servant, of course, but still one of more import than the rest. She'd have to find a way to break it to the girl - or maybe she didn't. The mental trauma she needed to inflict either way could be achieved in a way that still appeared to be an Acolyte's training. In the days it took to reach Korriban, the Sith Knight concocted her plan.

Stepping out onto the red sands of Korriban after days in her ship, Darth Imperia grinned to herself.

"Come, Apprentice. We have work to do."

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

Stepping out quickly after her, Maxine's feet sunk slightly in the sand, for a moment, she stopped and appreciated the warmth, though followed after seconds later. In her mind she thought of if she had stayed home, led her boring life and just remained hidden, but there was no choice of going back now. Sticking close behind Mala, the girl thought nothing of her mentors disturbing smile.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

"We will be exploring the Valley of the Dark Lords, my apprentice." Imperia walked forward as she spoke, doing her best to ignore the open sky above her head - it would hardly be appropriate to show fear in front of her new 'apprentice,' after all - whilst carrying a rather large, imposing tome under her arm - the title was written in the Sith Language, a tongue alien to Maxine. "It is a holy site to the Sith - the burial ground of countless Lords and Ladies of the Sith, home of countless treasures - and countless perils. Be prepared, child."

There were no words after that, none at all until the duo reached the first of many tombs in the aforementioned Valley. It was at this point that Darth Imperia ignited one of her lightsabers, partly to illuminate her surroundings and partly because she was on fething Korriban, in the karking Valley of the Dark Lords, and not having a weapon at the ready in said locale was the equivalent of painting 'I'd go great with a side of salad!' on ones back.
"Remember, apprentice. You tread in the final resting place of one of the great Sith Lords of old, wise and powerful beyond measure, resplendent in their darkne-" And then, suddenly, Imperia froze. Not literally, of course, but metaphorically - she stopped in her tracks, halted speaking immediately, and exhaled a quiet breath. Why, you might ask? Well, that was a simple question to answer.

Someone else spoke, except the message wasn't auditory - it was delivered straight to the minds of the Knight and her faux-apprentice, the voice all too delicate feminine to speak the harsh and brutal tongue it uttered.

Kam arlams âtitukvi nuyak nutkasi?

Imperia was the first to recover - and therefore, the first to respond, replying to the voice in the same tongue it spoke in. "Zeon iv tave Jena'tes, prijuri re âhvifa. Nu buti Urvaz Imperia, ir sis panele buti nuyak grotthu, z'kaina ra iv zo vadinti." Imperia spoke without fear - but she certainly spoke with respect, each word carefully selected to appease and placate the restless spirit - and it seemed to work, for the hostility that threatened to smother them died down, if only somewhat.

This pathetic thing? In my day, the Sith had standards.

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

Maxine had followed very close behind, without weapon or any protection here, Darth Imperia was her safety. As the lightsaber was drawn she jumped slightly, alarmed. And then the voice, oh the voice sent a visible chill down the girls spine as she halted, frozen in fear. The only thing she could think was run, though in her mind the only consequence she could think to that was death, Mala would kill her. There were no words that could be said in response, only absolute terror, it was indeed, quite pathetic.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Darth Imperia and the spirit inhabiting the tomb she and her false-apprentice found themselves continued conversing, still in the harsh and guttural language of the Sith.

And then there was quiet.

For a moment, at least. Nothing so merciful could last long on Korriban. A low, quiet chuckle rang in Maxine's head, followed by a bleak, unrelenting wave of terror that was far too intense to be anything approaching natural.

You are alone, girl. I sense your fear, and you can't run from me - and your Mistress certainly won't save you. Oh, it's been so long since I've had a pretty little toy to break..

Another cold laugh from the Sithly Spirit, and Darth Imperia - who was simply watching at this point, really - felt a shift in the Force.

Maxine, having no training, felt no such thing - but what she experienced was far, far worse. Darkness creeped slowly from the corners of her vision, painfully narrowing the girl's field of view until, eventually, unless she resisted - whether through sheer force of Will or natural talent - she'd be blinded.

Alone and at my mercy, little child.

---

[member="Maxine Avril"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

The panic would be evident on the girls face, nothing but darkness engulfing her every being, at least from her perspective. Instantly she began to claw at her face, trying to remove what could only seem an invisible cover over her eyes. "No- No please no!" Maxine said in her near silent way, her tone worried, frightful. Even something so slight, whether long or short term, her loss of vision was enough to begin her descent. With the inability to see the possible dangers around her, cradled in complete darkness, her now even more prevalent thought, her inability to flee, caused her the most distress. In a rush Maxine attempted to cling onto any solid surface nearby to grant her a reference point.

"Please stop... please..." Her words once quiet became louder, though she managed to stay below the normal volume level of average speech. It might have been surprising, how something so small to the two Sith in the area, would cause so much disturbance to the once to be apprentice.

-x-

[member="Darth Imperia"]